ALFRED — On Thursday, James Earl Pak, 75, of Biddeford, pleaded not guilty to five counts, including two counts of murder, at York County Superior Court.
Dressed in an orange sweatshirt and yellow pants, a chain around his waist and his arms handcuffed, Pak stood stoically beside his attorney, Joel Vincent, during the arraignment that took just a few minutes.
He was then taken back to York County Jail in Alfred, where he is being held without bail.
Pak is charged with murdering Derrick Thompson, 19, who rented an apartment on Pak’s property with his mother, and Thompson’s girlfriend Alivia Welch, 18, on Dec. 29.
Pak, who was indicted Feb. 5, is also charged with attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault and burglary.
According to police, Pak shot and killed the two victims after a disagreement over parking and snow removal. He also allegedly shot Thompson’s mother, Susan Johnson.
Johnson, who was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland for gunshot wounds to the arm and her back the night of the shooting, survived the attack. She and other family members and friends of the victims were in court, but Johnson declined to speak with the media, according to a victim’s advocate.
Assistant Attorney General Leane Zainea has filed a motion for a mental responsibility for criminal conduct evaluation. After the court proceeding, Pak’s attorney, Vincent, said he just received discovery evidence from the prosecutor and will decide whether he wishes to allow that evaluation.
Since the case is ongoing, Zainea said she couldn’t comment on the reason behind the motion. She said she has filed no other motions at this time.
Both sides have 90 days to file additional motions.
The shootings took place at 17 Sokokis Road close to 7 p.m. on Dec. 29. Johnson and her son were Pak’s tenants and lived in an addition to the home, where Pak lived with his wife and daughter. Welch was staying with her boyfriend at the time of the shooting.
“Apparently, there was an issue with the number of cars in the driveway, and the inability of the landlord to get snow removed,” said Sgt. Mark Holmquist of the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit, in a telephone interview the day after the shooting.
In a civil complaint against Pak and his wife filed at the court by Johnson, she alleges Pak was complaining about the quality of Thompson’s show shoveling. Police were initially called to the scene shortly after 6 p.m. and spent 30-40 minutes talking with the families, said Holmquist. Police said the disagreement was a civil matter and should be resolved by the courts, according to Johnson’s complaint.
Thompson told police he didn’t feel threatened, according to the complaint.
Three minutes after the officers departed, they were dispatched to the home for a report of shots fired, after Johnson called 911. After arriving at the scene, police escorted Johnson and her a 6-year-old son, who had been hiding in his bedroom and was not injured, out of the house. Pak had apparently retreated to his home.
In addition to Biddeford police, Maine State Police and a state police crisis negotiator also responded to the scene.
After extensive negotiations, Pak surrendered at about 10 p.m. that night. An intoxilyzer test was administered to Pak at 12:20 a.m., according to a police affidavit, and his blood alcohol level reportedly registered .15.
In Johnson’s civil complaint, she alleges assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, negligent infliction of emotional distress, violation of the uniform fraudulent transfer act, premises liability and trespass by the Paks.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com. Tammy Wells contributed to this story.
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